An 80-year-old British pensioner from Somerset, William “Billy Boy” Eastment, accused of acting as an international drug courier, is set to have his legal case officially closed tomorrow, paving the way for his immediate return to the UK.
Eastment, a retired HGV and bus mechanic from Milborne Port, Somerset, was arrested at Santiago airport last May when officials found around £200,000 worth of methamphetamine hidden in his luggage. Since then, he has spent nearly 12 months in the harsh Santiago 1 Penitentiary.
Despite the serious charges, Eastment has maintained that he was “tricked” into carrying the drugs, claiming scammers convinced him he had won a prize requiring international travel. His neighbors and friends describe him as a fishing and bowls enthusiast, shocked by the accusation.
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His legal team successfully appealed for his release on compassionate grounds, citing severe health deterioration during imprisonment, including multiple bouts of pneumonia and pre-existing medical conditions. Owing to his poor health, a Chiléan judge allowed him to serve house arrest on the southern outskirts of Santiago under police supervision.
However, his lawyers pushed for the entire case to be dropped, emphasizing that his age and medical vulnerabilities made enduring a prolonged legal battle unsafe. The court agreed to close the case, allowing Eastment to return home as soon as possible.
Challenges remain, including Eastment funding his own 14-hour flight home and managing the physical strain of travel given his fragile health. Additionally, since he was detained as a tourist, he was not eligible for Chile’s national health system and required a financial guarantor for medical expenses—a hurdle complicated by difficulties locating close family and access to his UK pension, which he lost access to during detention.
With the case closure imminent, Eastment’s ordeal in Chile is coming to an end, bringing relief to his family and the small Somerset community where his arrest had been met with disbelief.